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Sheriff says missing Mo. mom, daughter in danger

Published on NewsOK
Modified: March 18, 2013 at 5:40 pm •
Published: March 18, 2013

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A central Missouri woman who has been missing with her young daughter since Thursday seemed to be reading from a script when she called her boyfriend and told her she was fine, but she later indicated to a sheriff that she was in trouble, authorities said Monday.

In this undated photo released by Chariton County Sheriff's office, Rachel Koechner and her 4-year-old daughter Zoee Sandner are shown. The central Missouri woman who has been missing with her daughter for four days called her boyfriend from a suburban Kansas City motel but was gone when police arrived to check on her. Authorities say they're believed to be with Koechner's former husband and are considered endangered because of previous domestic violence incidents. (AP Photo/Chariton County Sheriff's Office)

Rachel Koechner, 28, and her 4-year-old daughter, Zoee Sandner, were reported missing Thursday night after last being seen earlier that day in the Brookfield area. Chariton County Sheriff Chris Hughes said the two are believed to be with Koechner's ex-husband, Devon Sandner, 37, who is the girl's father, and are considered endangered because of a history of domestic violence. Devon Sander has not been charged in connection with their disappearance, but police are looking for him.

Koechner was at a motel in the Kansas City suburb of Blue Springs when she called her boyfriend Monday morning, Hughes said. "She called her boyfriend and said everything is OK, but it sounded like she was reading off a script," he said.

He said Koechner was at the check-out desk when he called the motel later and asked if she was staying there. A motel worker handed her the phone.

"She said she couldn't talk now," Hughes said. "I asked if she was OK, and she said, 'No.'"

By the time Blue Springs police arrived at the motel, she was gone.

Her mother reported her missing Thursday after her boyfriend received a text message from her that said, "help me."